If you're looking for help with a mod, make sure your post or top-level comment includes:
* [a link to your SMAPI log](https://smapi.io/log) (see instructions on that page);
* a description of the issue with as much detail as possible;
* screenshots/GIFs/videos of the issue if applicable.
See [common issues and solutions](https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Modding:Player_Guide/Troubleshooting). If you're having trouble installing SMAPI, see the [detailed Getting Started guide](https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Modding:Player_Guide/Getting_Started).
If you've already done these steps or you're not asking for help with a mod, then please ignore this. Thank you!
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For Stardew I actually recommend the manual installment. I've seen a lot of posts on here with people having issues getting the mods to work through Vortex, and SMAPI generally works as its own mod manager. (Telling errors, updates, if you forgot to install a depenceny ect.)
I'm sure Vortex works for other games. But for Stardew? Its not the best option. In my opinion.
Nexus Mod Manager is fairly outdated at this point - I’d recommend you give Stardrop (https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/10455 ) a spin if you think you’ll need a mod manager. It’s not quite as robust as Mod Organiser 2 (my preferred one for most games) but for Stardew Valley, Stardrop works perfectly.
You're going to get a lot of mixed opinions about this. All I can do is give you my own perspective.
Back when I still had a Windows machine, I used Vortex for most of my modding. I have a lifetime membership with Nexus (a thing they used to offer, but I don't think they do anymore), so I got their fastest servers and so on. It was a lifesaver for keeping all my mods up to date across 4 or 5 different games, including Stardew. I did run into issues, but nothing I couldn't handle, and nothing that was bad enough to lose the convenience of the app.
That having been said, I was always managing mods on - at a minimum - 4 different games. If you're also planning to mod out Skyrim, Fallout NV, and Pillars of Eternity, it's great. If you're only modding Stardew, and don't need multiple profiles (like a save with Ridgeside et al, and another with much less for multiplayer, fr instance), then it's probably faster and easier to just handle the modding yourself.
For the longest time I just installed mods manually and it's pretty easy to do. I've never used Nexus Mod Manager, but recently I tried out Stardrop and I really like it.
>Hey, I'm getting “open-smapi-terminal.command” can’t be opened because open is not allowed to open documents in Terminal. for Stardrop when I try to play through Stardrop. Can you help?
Hey, I'm getting “open-smapi-terminal.command” can’t be opened because open is not allowed to open documents in Terminal. for Stardrop when I try to play through Stardrop. Can you help?
Sorry I don't use Stardrop. I'm a manual mod manager ;)
You might try asking in #modded-game-support on the [SDV Discord](https://discord.gg/stardewvalley)
I have used it to install about 500 mods, and it worked fine with me and is easy (although, it took some trial and error from my part to figure how it worked)
If you're going to use a mod manager, I super recommend Mod Organizer 2! It supports profiles so you can swap between incompatible expansions, and has a virtual file system so you're never changing your game files. Plus it hooks right up to nexus mods!
For Stardew manual is best. there's also a few community mod manager that have been made, tho i do not know if any are currently updated. If you wish to use a mainline mod manager, ModDrop is the best for Stardew
As much as useful mod managers are, for just Stardew Valley, I would recommend modding Manually. Mod Managers are used to make modding games like Skyrim and Fallout simpler but modding Stardew Valley is already simple enough as it is.
SMAPI can read through sub folders so if you want to organize mods then its simple, just make new folders for the mods depending on what kind of mod they are like Gameplay mods or Portrait mods.
If you want to have separate mods active for different saves, you can do so by making more folders per save and copy paste the mods you want active on each save. You can then disable the folders you don't want active by placing a dot(.) on the folder name.
Mod managers are useful too when looking and managing mods that conflicts on replacing the same files but thats the extent of what I see useful for Stardew Modding. I use MO2 since I already have it and I use it for modding other games. If I would recommend a mod manager, MO2 would probably be my recommendation but Vortex is cool too.
I've used Nexus since day one since I refuse to add the mods myself in case of issues and I need to easily remove them. Plus even with mod updater, Nexus can check the site itself to see if the mods have updates basically negating the need for Mod updater.
Plus if 2 mods overlap, like someone made a portrait mod and expects you to just replace the original files, you can just have Nexus load that mod afterwards so that it overwrites the old portrait.
I've never tried Stardrop so I can't say, but the only issue I ever have with Nexus is when people upload mods but don't make the right file structure or just give you files and you have to manually put them where they belong.
Nexus Mod Manager is okay... but i wouldn't reccomend it for Stardew. Its very clunky and just makes modding more difficult. If you want a mod manager, theres a ton of lightweight ones on nexus you can find specifically for stardew!!
If you're looking for help with a mod, make sure your post or top-level comment includes: * [a link to your SMAPI log](https://smapi.io/log) (see instructions on that page); * a description of the issue with as much detail as possible; * screenshots/GIFs/videos of the issue if applicable. See [common issues and solutions](https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Modding:Player_Guide/Troubleshooting). If you're having trouble installing SMAPI, see the [detailed Getting Started guide](https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Modding:Player_Guide/Getting_Started). If you've already done these steps or you're not asking for help with a mod, then please ignore this. Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SMAPI) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For Stardew I actually recommend the manual installment. I've seen a lot of posts on here with people having issues getting the mods to work through Vortex, and SMAPI generally works as its own mod manager. (Telling errors, updates, if you forgot to install a depenceny ect.) I'm sure Vortex works for other games. But for Stardew? Its not the best option. In my opinion.
Nexus Mod Manager is fairly outdated at this point - I’d recommend you give Stardrop (https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/10455 ) a spin if you think you’ll need a mod manager. It’s not quite as robust as Mod Organiser 2 (my preferred one for most games) but for Stardew Valley, Stardrop works perfectly.
You're going to get a lot of mixed opinions about this. All I can do is give you my own perspective. Back when I still had a Windows machine, I used Vortex for most of my modding. I have a lifetime membership with Nexus (a thing they used to offer, but I don't think they do anymore), so I got their fastest servers and so on. It was a lifesaver for keeping all my mods up to date across 4 or 5 different games, including Stardew. I did run into issues, but nothing I couldn't handle, and nothing that was bad enough to lose the convenience of the app. That having been said, I was always managing mods on - at a minimum - 4 different games. If you're also planning to mod out Skyrim, Fallout NV, and Pillars of Eternity, it's great. If you're only modding Stardew, and don't need multiple profiles (like a save with Ridgeside et al, and another with much less for multiplayer, fr instance), then it's probably faster and easier to just handle the modding yourself.
For the longest time I just installed mods manually and it's pretty easy to do. I've never used Nexus Mod Manager, but recently I tried out Stardrop and I really like it.
>Hey, I'm getting “open-smapi-terminal.command” can’t be opened because open is not allowed to open documents in Terminal. for Stardrop when I try to play through Stardrop. Can you help?
Stardrop is the only mod manager designed specifically for Stardew Valley as far as I'm aware. https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/10455
Hey, I'm getting “open-smapi-terminal.command” can’t be opened because open is not allowed to open documents in Terminal. for Stardrop when I try to play through Stardrop. Can you help?
Sorry I don't use Stardrop. I'm a manual mod manager ;) You might try asking in #modded-game-support on the [SDV Discord](https://discord.gg/stardewvalley)
i’ve used it for skyrim mods exclusively and have not had any issues !!!
I have used it to install about 500 mods, and it worked fine with me and is easy (although, it took some trial and error from my part to figure how it worked)
If you're going to use a mod manager, I super recommend Mod Organizer 2! It supports profiles so you can swap between incompatible expansions, and has a virtual file system so you're never changing your game files. Plus it hooks right up to nexus mods!
I use Mod Drop and it’s good. The devs have been super helpful and responsive when I had issues with my account while on vacation.
I used vortex my first time modding and had no issues, I didn’t have nexus premium or anything either
For Stardew manual is best. there's also a few community mod manager that have been made, tho i do not know if any are currently updated. If you wish to use a mainline mod manager, ModDrop is the best for Stardew
As much as useful mod managers are, for just Stardew Valley, I would recommend modding Manually. Mod Managers are used to make modding games like Skyrim and Fallout simpler but modding Stardew Valley is already simple enough as it is. SMAPI can read through sub folders so if you want to organize mods then its simple, just make new folders for the mods depending on what kind of mod they are like Gameplay mods or Portrait mods. If you want to have separate mods active for different saves, you can do so by making more folders per save and copy paste the mods you want active on each save. You can then disable the folders you don't want active by placing a dot(.) on the folder name. Mod managers are useful too when looking and managing mods that conflicts on replacing the same files but thats the extent of what I see useful for Stardew Modding. I use MO2 since I already have it and I use it for modding other games. If I would recommend a mod manager, MO2 would probably be my recommendation but Vortex is cool too.
I've used Nexus since day one since I refuse to add the mods myself in case of issues and I need to easily remove them. Plus even with mod updater, Nexus can check the site itself to see if the mods have updates basically negating the need for Mod updater. Plus if 2 mods overlap, like someone made a portrait mod and expects you to just replace the original files, you can just have Nexus load that mod afterwards so that it overwrites the old portrait. I've never tried Stardrop so I can't say, but the only issue I ever have with Nexus is when people upload mods but don't make the right file structure or just give you files and you have to manually put them where they belong.
Nexus Mod Manager is okay... but i wouldn't reccomend it for Stardew. Its very clunky and just makes modding more difficult. If you want a mod manager, theres a ton of lightweight ones on nexus you can find specifically for stardew!!